Drastic Alterations
by Lightning-Strike
Summary: A girl named Cayla is abducted from her home, exposed to some kind of gas, and changed into something new. What sort of new? Find out! *COMPLETE*
1. Cayla

It's such a beautiful night. I glance out at the moon and stars again. It's so clear tonight. The moon is full, there isn't a cloud in the winter sky, and it seems like the stars are brighter than ever. I smile and pet Arcane, my Growlithe, then return to my book.  
  
I love nights like this. Both my parents are out at a business meeting, so Arcane and I get the house to ourselves. We just sit together in the big, red, plush rocker, him dozing contentedly while I read a new book on Arcanines.  
  
Of all the Pokémon I love, I hold Arcanine as the most dear. They're just so strong, so swift, so beautiful. Since the first grade, I've read every Arcanine book I could get my hands on. I now know more about them than any teacher at my school.  
  
"Grow-lithe," a puppy's voice says beside me. I look down at Arcane, who is watching me with loving brown eyes. I can see myself reflected in those eyes, everything from my beige-blonde hair to my own deep brown eyes. I reach out and scratch Arcane behind the ears. He likes it right back there.  
  
What…! Someone's at the door! But who could it be at this hour? It's almost ten o'clock! I don't think solicitors would be out at this hour…but that's probably it. I go back to my book.  
  
What in the world!? Then knocking has almost turned into a pounding!  
  
What if something happened to a neighbor, and someone's trying to get to a phone? Even worse, what if something happened to my parents!? I don't know yet, but I'll go to find out!  
  
"Arcane, stay," I command. He lays his head down in submissive consent. I stand and walk out of the room.  
  
I slink down the hall, 'as stealthily as a Persian,' as my mother puts it. I can see the door at the end of the hall…the insistent knocking can't drown out the pounding of my own heart, or the sound of my heavy breathing.  
  
I reach the door and stand on tiptoes to see through the peephole. What? The three men out there…they look like my parents' business partners!  
  
Oh, I hope nothing's wrong! Hastily I unlock the door and throw it open. The men don't seem surprised at all.  
  
"Are Mom and Dad okay!?" I ask. Oh, I hope they are!  
  
"Your parents are fine, Cayla," the lead man says. "But we need you to come with us."  
  
There's something strange about these men…  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't," I say as I start to close the door. I see a hand catch the door, then watch helplessly as it is pushed open again.  
  
"I'm afraid we must insist," the man says. I see the other two men come in behind him and move to the sides…  
  
"Let me go!" One of them just grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back!  
  
"Oh, you'll be a perfect specimen," the lead man says, pulling a cloth out of his jacket pocket along with a bottle of liquid.  
  
"Leave me ALONE!!" I know that the bottle holds chloroform. I can smell it now that he's opened the bottle. He pours it onto the cloth…  
  
I have to get free! I start struggling and kicking with all my strength.  
  
"Restrain her!" the lead man shouts. Suddenly I can't move my legs, either. I look down and see the other man holding my legs. As I look up again I feel a rag pushed against my face. I inhale…the chloroform! I have to hold my breath! But already my lungs burn since I didn't get a good breath before the cloth was pressed up against my nose and mouth.  
  
I can't hold out any longer! I let out the breath and take another deep one, again inhaling the noxious fumes…the world starts to spin…it's all blurred…my eyes are closing…everything is so jumbled…I hear barking, then a yelp of pain as a gun goes off…ARCANE!! I force my eyes open and see my Growlithe laying on the floor, eyes glassy, a pool of blood around him…a hole in his head. My eyes close again…I'll welcome the darkness now… 


	2. The Change

Ungh. My head hurts. Where am I now? I can feel that I'm lying on a smooth surface…tile, maybe? And even through my closed eyes I can see that there is no light on.  
  
Well, I might as well take a look around. I open my eyes and try to sit up, but I'm still sort of weak and uncoordinated. I guess the chloroform hasn't worn off yet.  
  
The room is dark as midnight. It takes a while for my eyes to adjust, but they eventually do. The room is totally bare except for five dark shapes.  
  
"Oh, so you're finally awake!" a voice says. It came from one of the forms. I guess they're people. The one that talked to me is obviously a girl, from the pitch of her voice. She sounds cheerful, but she's obviously scared out of her wits. I don't respond. Through experience, I've learned that it's better to stay quiet around people you don't know. You're less likely to get made fun of.  
  
"My name's Amy," the voice continues as the girl gets up and walks toward me. I can't see that well, but I know she has long hair and large eyes. She's a bit short, but I don't know how old she is, either. She extends her hand to me, offering a handshake.  
  
Tentatively, I reach out and accept her greeting. My long fingers clasp her hand, and I see her smile.  
  
"So, what's your name?" she asks.  
  
"Cayla," I reply. After all, that IS my name.  
  
"It's nice to meet you!" Amy exclaims. For a person who doesn't even know where she is, she sure is perky. Or does she know where we are?  
  
"Do you know where we are?" I ask.  
  
"No, she doesn't," a boy's voice replies. I didn't even notice him come up beside me. "I already asked the same question. By the way, my name's Nate."  
  
From what I can see, the boy has slick dark hair and normal eyes. His voice holds an edge of irritation, like everyone else here is just slowing him down.  
  
"Nate, why is it so impossible for you to be nice to the people you don't know?" another boy asks. He's begun pacing, probably wondering why we were abducted from our homes. Now he comes over to me and extends his hand. My head is still spinning slightly, so I stay sitting. "My name's Ritchie. Most people just call me Rich, though."  
  
I accept his hand. He seems a lot nicer than Nate, that's for sure. Maybe if we all live through whatever's going to happen, we'll all be friends. Ritchie has light, spiky hair and dark eyes. Sort of like me.  
  
"Just for the record, my name's Victoria," another girl's voice sounds through the dark. A prissy voice. Somehow, I think they grabbed a rich girl in their abductions. She doesn't even stand up. I wonder what she looks like…  
  
"Don't listen to little miss priss over there. She's used to the best, and she's grumpy because she got drugged and brought here," another boy speaks up. He's been slowly moving along the wall toward me, leaning heavily against it from what I've seen. He sits down beside me and smiles in the dark. His smooth, pale hair and light eyes catch my attention, as does his general attitude. He seems nice, very good-natured.  
  
"My name's Matthew, but everyone calls me Matt. I prefer that, anyway," he says, chuckling slightly. I feel the corners of my mouth tugging their way into a smile. We hear Victoria snort from against the opposite wall.  
  
What? Oh, no. I hear a doorknob rattling slightly. The unseen door opens, harsh fluorescent lights shining into the room. I squint and shade my eyes with my arm. Three people enter the room, one woman and two men.  
  
"That one, the boy," the woman says, her voice devoid of emotion as she points. I follow her finger…Matt! The two men walk over and grab the boy by his arms. He yelps softly as they drag him out. I'm too astonished to do anything. All the others are as well. Before we can even recover from the first, another trio enters, this time three men.  
  
"Take the girl," he says cruelly, motioning toward the opposite wall. The other two walk over, grab Victoria, and drag her screaming from the room.  
  
My heart is beating faster and faster. I can hear the blood pounding in my ears, almost enough to drown out my rapid breathing. Again the door opens, and another woman enters, flanked by two more men.  
  
"That girl," she points again toward us. The men move forward and grab Amy. The chloroform has worn off enough to allow her to kick as well as scream, but still they drag her away.  
  
I feel like my heart is about to burst, it's beating so fast. Ritchie, Nate, and I are left in the dark room for a few minutes. Ritchie sinks to the wall beside me, his eyes fixed on the place where the others have been dragged out. I hear heavy footsteps outside just before the door is again opened. Another three men enter, and one of them merely points at Nate. As the other two move forward Nate holds up a hand, then walks calmly from the room. The door closes again, leaving us in darkness.  
  
"You scared?" Ritchie asks, his own voice shaking in fear. I can only nod, fear having disabled my voice. "Which one of us do you think they'll take next?" he asks. I point at myself, my hand shaking uncontrollably.  
  
"Huh, I thought they'd go after me," he says, laughing slightly. The door opens again and both our heads snap up. I take a good look at Ritchie; it may be the last, as well. He has bright blonde spiky hair and midnight blue eyes. He's looking at me the same way I'm looking at him: like we're really saying hello and good-bye.  
  
Oh, God! I hate being right. The two men just grabbed my arms and are dragging me across the floor. I can't do a thing against them, so I don't even try.  
  
Where are they taking me!? I'm being dragged down a long hallway, I know that. White walls, white ceiling, white tile floor. I hear a door open in front of us, and then…  
  
Aahh!! The lights are blinding! Whoever runs this place needs to tone the lights down! I feel myself being lifted up…Ow! They just dropped me onto some table! Squinting, I look at where I am.  
  
It looks like a doctor's office. Hope they don't want to give me a shot. Heh heh…oh, boy. They're fiddling around my head, putting some kind of mask on me. I still can't move! I watch as one of the people turns some sort of handle. Now what? I smell some sort of gas coming into the mask, not chloroform, but it's still making me tired…  
  
"Oh my God!"  
  
Mom!?  
  
"Bloody Hell!!"  
  
Dad!?  
  
"What is Cayla doing here!? Stop this at once!!" Mom's voice is getting softer…  
  
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but it's too late. We've already started to administer the gas," another voice replies…it's all fading out…  
  
Am I still on that table? I open my eyes a bit…yep, I'm still on the table. I turn my head and look to the side…who is that? There's another table with someone on it. They look kind of familiar…but they have a tail…it's a boy, I think…and little whitish pink ears…I know I've seen him somewhere…his feet are rabbit-like paws, big enough to support him…I can't place him, but his face is away from me…one of his legs is at a weird sort of angle…he turns his face toward me…Matt!? He has a tail and ears!? He didn't have those earlier, so…  
  
I look back at myself…oh…my…God. I have four legs. And a tail. This is just too much…I think I'm about to pass out again… 


	3. Polly

I keep waking up in different places! It's getting sort of annoying. Hmm? I'm laying on something soft, and my lower body is so warm…was it all a dream!?  
  
My eyes snap open…oh, no. I'm in a little glen in the forest. So that means, unfortunately, that it wasn't a dream. Might as well face the reality now, rather than later.  
  
I take a good, long look at my new lower body. It's covered in long, dusky, red-orange fur with deep brown stripes, probably black when the sun isn't hitting them. There is a beige ruff on each paw, a large, fluffy tan tail, and…are there claws? I concentrate on these new appendages and watch in amazement as two sets of black claws emerge from each…  
  
I don't believe it. I've been halved with an Arcanine! I wonder if the chemical changed anything else. I look down at my hands. My fingers are a bit longer, and my nails a bit sharper, but that's basically it.  
  
Huh? What's that? It's a beige-tan wisp of fur. But it can't be from my tail, so…my hands move up to feel my hair…but it's not my hair anymore! It's been turned into an Arcanine's mane! My hands move down the sides of my face…and brush against something soft and fuzzy. Are those my ears? There's no way for me to know except by my own intuition. Is there anything else about my face? My new, longer fingers search around my face, but it's fully normal. Well, except for a little triangle nose.  
  
Carefully I maneuver this new body so that I'm laying on my stomach. Then, carefully, I stand up. Jeez, it's easier to stand on four legs than two! Bracing three legs, I move the last one, my front left paw, forward. Then I move the back right paw forward. Hey, this is easy! But I better not get too sure of myself.  
  
Hey, I'm starting to get the hand of this! I wonder what happened to everybody else? Should I try to find them? Or am I the only one who survived? Matt seemed really weak…  
  
What? I thought I heard thunder. Now that I think about it, it is really dark. And something in my consciousness is telling me to STAY AWAY FROM THE WATER!!! I should probably go to find some shelter…  
  
"He-LLOOO!!!"  
  
Amy!?  
  
Before I even know what I'm doing I'm racing through the trees, jumping over fallen logs, avoiding obstacles like I've had four legs my whole life!  
  
"Amy!!" I shout, my hands curved around my mouth to amplify the sound.  
  
"Cayla!?" I hear her call back. I change my course slightly and slow my pace. Where is she?  
  
"I can her you! I'm coming!" she shouts. Are we that close? Or am I just making a lot of noise?  
  
I slow to a walk. That's funny…I can't hear her, so how can she hear me?  
  
My pace quickens to an easy trot, my large paws covering the mossy ground in long, easy strides. Mow I can hear something bounding through the woods.  
  
"Cayla!?"  
  
"Amy!?"  
  
I can barely recognize her! Of course, I never got a good look at her in the first place, but still. She has the ears and tail of a Raichu, not to mention the little electric sacs on her cheeks. Her eyes are a Raichu's as well, large and pure black. Her feet have changed to the Raichu's as well, and her hands and feet are both covered in a sparse, dark brown fur. I can tell that she's taking me in for the first time as well.  
  
Well, this was a shock! But, now off to more pressing matters.  
  
"Do you know where we are!?" we ask in unison. Well, from that answer, I'd say no…  
  
"You are in the Ilex Forest, just outside of Goldenrod City."  
  
Both of our heads snap towards the voice. A few little sparks fly from Amy's cheeks and tail, while I just feel a kind of burning inside me.  
  
"Do not be afraid," the voice laughs. A shape moves out of the trees…  
  
"I am not going to hurt you."  
  
Is…is she…another one like us? Her face is human, and she has short hair, but…everything else about her is Ampharos. She even has the little jewel on her forehead. Her large eyes are watching us both, sparkling in happiness.  
  
"I wondered when I would meet others," she says. Her voice is quiet and motherly, even though she doesn't know us.  
  
"Who are you?" I ask. Amy nods, apparently wondering about the same thing. The Ampharos girl smiles and bobs her head up and down.  
  
"I knew I was forgetting something," she laughs. "My name is Polly.  
  
"Now come with me," she says, turning and gesturing into the trees with her yellow and black striped tail, the red orb on the end glowing with a soft light. "We had best get to shelter before the storm hits. There is a nice cave nearby, and I can explain to you about what has happened."  
  
She turns and walks into the forest, Amy following close behind. The two seem to have connected instantly. As for me…I'm still myself.  
  
I'm still alone. 


	4. Leaving

Well, that walk wasn't too bad. And it looks like we made it here just in time. As I pad my way into the cave, far behind the two electric types, I hear the first raindrops hit the hard earth behind me.  
  
I look back again as the ground is turned from light brown, hard packed soil to nearly black, more free earth. I smile slightly, even though my Arcanine instincts tell me to stay away from the water. I've never been too fond of being in the rain. But I've always loved to watch it fall.  
  
"Cayla, you must keep up."  
  
Yipes! It takes me a second to realize that it was just Polly. I swear, I must have jumped five feet!  
  
"All right," I sigh. I still feel out of place. I'm probably the only fire type for miles.  
  
We emerge in a large cavern, stalactites growing down from the ceiling, stalagmites growing up from the floor. It looks like there's a fresh water spring flowing through it as well, and there are food stocks against one of the walls.  
  
"The two of you must be hungry," Polly says, walking toward the fruits and vegetables. Amy follows about an inch behind her tail, but I stay a bit farther off. Yes, I am incredibly hungry, but I'm still a loner.  
  
Amy and Polly help themselves to the stores, then move away to begin their meal. I trot my way over and examine the selection.  
  
There are apples, pears, grapes, tomatoes, grapefruit, pears, a few peaches and apricots, carrots, potatoes, broccoli…yuck, broccoli! What else…some olives, celery, pecans, Brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts…cashews and peanuts? Where'd she find those?  
  
I take some of each item. Except the broccoli. I HATE broccoli! Then I walk over and sit near Amy and Polly. I silently eat my meal while the two of them just chat away like they're sisters.  
  
"You probably want to know about what has happened," Polly said suddenly. My attention was instantly focused on her alone. I notice that Amy is nodding her head slowly. Polly smiles and nods, fully understanding. Then she begins.  
  
"The chemicals they use to cause the morph have come a long way since the beginning," Polly explains, her voice unusually sad and quiet. "In the beginning, the chemicals usually killed the morph before the change took place.  
  
"After a while, they refined the chemical, but the morphs rarely lasted more than a few hours. After a year, the morphs lasted a day. After three years, the morphs were actually staying alive on their own, but the success rate was very low. Still, they tried it on a group of humans who had been abducted from their homes.  
  
"I was one of them. I was the only one who survived. But the chemical was still highly experimental. Over the course of five years, this is what has happened."  
  
I look again at the Ampharos girl. The only part of her that is still human is her face and the short hair that runs down her long neck. Everything else about her is Ampharos. It's a wonder she can still talk at all.  
  
Amy, the Raichu girl beside me, is rapt with attention. She seems to sympathize with Polly. After all, they are both electric types. I'm the one who's out of place. I'm half Arcanine.  
  
"But the two of you are lucky," Polly continues. "The chemical has been fine-tuned since the time that I was morphed. You probably will not go through this. You will stay more like that for the rest of your lives, unless there is some sort of antidote to be found."  
  
This is as much as I can take. Without a word, I stand and walk out of the shelter into the pouring rain outside. I hear Amy call after me, but I don't even look back.  
  
If this is what I'll be like for my whole life, I'd rather die.  
  
So I will. 


	5. Choices

Hello, all you fic readers out there! This is Lightning-Strike! Well, I think we already knew that, since it's my story, but…oh, I'll just get on with it. This, my friends, is the last part of Drastic Alterations! *ducks a tomato thrown by Nate*  
  
Nate: Hey, I only got two speaking lines! You can't just leave it there!  
  
L-S: You're wrong. I can leave it there if I want. I can also edit you out of the story if I want.  
  
Nate: Well, you better make some more of this. I want a bigger part!  
  
L-S: Well, read on, and if you don't read my comments at the end, I'll be lost. See ya then!  
  
The Arcanine part of me DOES NOT LIKE WATER!!! The still human part of me isn't all that fond of it, but my depression pushes me onward.  
  
But this won't kill me. I know it won't. But what I'm headed for now probably will.  
  
I'm going home.  
  
I've always heard that the Pokémon hounds have a kind of homing sense, something that leads them to their old home. It's almost like I can feel something pulling me southeast, back towards Azalea Town…and my old life.  
  
If I didn't know any better, I'd say there were two reasons Arcanines don't like water. The first is obvious: the fire element. The second is that wet fur is REALLY uncomfortable.  
  
The trees have started to thin out…and there it is.  
  
Azalea Town. A very small town in southern Johto. I lived here my whole life. Why not die here as well?  
  
My huge paws splash water out of the numerous puddles lining the street. It must be close to ten o'clock at night, since most of the lights in the houses are out. One house still has all its lights on, though.  
  
I know that house. It's my own.  
  
I wonder how long I've been gone. Two days? Four days? A week? Will my family remember me? Will Arcane…  
  
Oh. I forgot. Arcane is dead.  
  
I quickly pad my way up to the living room window. Okay, stay calm…slowly I move so that I can see inside…ARCANE!?!  
  
It…it's my Growlithe…he's alive! He has a bandage wrapped around his head, but he's alive! But…he looks so sad…does he miss me? He never got along well with my parents, so maybe that's it. Oh, he's alive!  
  
But…will he remember me? Will he recognize me? I can see my parents talking, but I can't hear what they're saying. They keep on glancing at Arcane, though…what if they're planning to get rid of him!? If that's the case, then I won't let them!  
  
I spin around and canter to the front door. This should give them a shock. I lift my right hand and knock on the door…what's that scratching sound? Huh? I look down as I knock again…oh, so that's it. My paw comes up at the same time and scratches at the door. Heh, weird reflex.  
  
I hear the knob turn before the door opens, revealing my mother. Dang, I'm taller than she is now!  
  
"Sorry, we don't want an-AAAHHHHH!!!" I cover my ears, more sensitive than before by a few times. She has a REALLY loud scream!!  
  
"What is it, dear!?" my dad calls, running into the small foyer. He stops dead when he sees me. Then he rushes forward, grabs my mom's arm, and pulls her up the stairs, still screaming her head off.  
  
The slight sound of claws on hardwood finds its way to my covered ears. I take my hands away and look down to see…Arcane, standing on shaky legs, staring at me with confusion etched across his red and tan furred face.  
  
"Arcane," I call. He cocks his head slightly at the sound of my voice, like he doesn't quite recognize me.  
  
"Arcane, it's me. It's me, Cayla!" I call, getting a bit desperate. Did that bullet do something to him? Or…does he just not recognize me?  
  
"Lithe?" Arcane asks.  
  
"Yeah, it's me, Cayla!" I cry. Arcane takes a shaky step forward, then another, slowly walking toward me. I bend my new front legs until my hands are almost on the ground. I stretch one out to my Growlithe. He sniffs it carefully, to debate about whether or not I'm who I say I am…oh, why doesn't he remember me!? I still love him so much…and he licks my hand. He does remember!  
  
I have to leave soon. Mom and Dad probably called the police already. I gather Arcane into my arms and walk over to the steps. I feel the muscles in my legs coil like springs as I prepare to jump. In a single leap I make it all the way up the steps and land in the hallway.  
  
I trot down the hall to my old room. I open the door…and I'm assaulted by memories. My glass Pokémon figurines…I was collecting them…my stuffed animals…I always slept with them at night…the photographs and the drawings that I've done…I spent so much time on those…  
  
Okay, time to stop reminiscing and time to take some action. I shake my head vigorously to get rid of all the recollections. I trot over to my nightstand, where I've always kept the Everstone with the little Arcanine statue on it. My fingers run over the metal figure…but I'm going back off into my own little world.  
  
My free hand grabs my Clefairy bank, then pulls back to hold Arcane more steadily. I walk back to my door, but…I look back at my room again. It's so hard to leave my old life behind…but I can't come back to this life. I've changed too much for that. But now I can hear the screaming sirens coming toward the house.  
  
"Come on, Arcane," I whisper, trotting down the hall. I take two careful jumps down to the foyer, then canter out the door.  
  
It's still pouring outside. I use my body to shield Arcane from what I can of the downpour. The Clefairy bank is still in my arms, between his front paws. I know exactly where I'm headed. Sure, it'll be closed, but that won't stop me.  
  
I slow my pace, finally stopping just outside a shop in town. It's the shop I always visited when I was…well, human. I gently push on the door, trying to open it, but it's locked. Of course, what did I expect?  
  
In situations like this, I've always pushed my hair back behind my ear. Old habits are hard to break. Bracing Arcane with one arm, my other tucks a few strands of fur behind my ear…and I find something. No way! It's still there!? I pull a hairpin from behind my ear. I can't believe that it was still there! I used to keep a hairpin there all the time, and I guess it stayed even after I morphed! Wait, I have something to do!  
  
I pull the hairpin until it isn't bent at all. Then I gently insert it into the lock…let's see…I fool around with it a bit…would this be counted as breaking an entering? Probably…there! I hear the lock click! I push on the door and it opens, the little bells over the door ringing merrily, even though the storm is so bleak. That's the wonderful thing about bells. They aren't affected by weather.  
  
Slowly moving into the little shop, tracking water everywhere I go, I make my way over to the display case. Again I insert my hairpin…and I hear a click almost immediately. I'm getting better at this!  
  
"Lithe?" Arcane asks. I look down at him, smile, and gently place him on the ground with my bank. I need to get something.  
  
I take a little red velvet bag from on top of the case, then slide the door open. Inside are a wide variety of stones, ranging from Water Stones to Everstones. But my eyes seek out one stone in particular…and there it is!  
  
Arcane has always had an eye for this stone. It's a very high quality Fire Stone, but with quality comes expense. I've been saving my money for months to be able to buy this stone for him. Just before I was changed I earned enough money to buy it. I can't come here in broad daylight, so I'll just have to do my job under the cover of darkness.  
  
I pick the stone up carefully, then slip it into the velvet bag. Reaching down, I pick up the Clefairy bank and, slowly, I pad my way over to the counter. Slipping the small rope straps of the pouch over my wrist, I lay the porcelain moneybox on the smooth surface of the counter.  
  
"Come on, Arcane," I whisper. I don't know why I'm whispering, but I am. Go figure. The Growlithe walks hesitantly over to me. I bend down and pick him up again, thankful that the velvet pouch prevents the stone from having an effect on him. Turning, we leave the shop behind.  
  
Again I approach the outskirts of town, the beginnings of the Ilex Forest. As soon as I leave again, my old life is over…but it was already over. It was over the second I gained four legs and fur. I trot into the forest. My old life is gone now.  
  
I am now Cayla, Arcanine Pokémorph.  
  
Ha HA!! Well, that's it for Drastic Alterations. Now, how many of you think I should put up part two? If you want me to continue with this story, review and let me know. Well, bye! 


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